Community Forums

EddieM · 04-24-2015, 09:18 AM

Having just purchased a gently used 1995 Rockwood Regent 30' DP with 114k miles on the coach and 28k miles on a newer diesel engine, the question that now presents itself is :
"How much time and money do we invest, in this motorhome, considering the fact that we want to upgrade next year to a later model, longer DP, which we will then use for a year long U.S. excursion?"

Common sense dictates that we maintain the coach and engine, but then there are changes that we would like to make, during our year-love affair with this motorhome. We will be trying to take several weekend trips per month. I am retired and my wife is a State worker with lots of sick time and vacation time.

We figured that buying this motorhome would be obviously less expensive all round, except for maybe some possible interior mechanics and appliances. And that this home would be a good "training vehicle", as well as a good trade in.

But there in lies the possible dilemma. My gut reaction is that, at 20 years of age, we aren't going to make a "silk purse out of a sow's ear".

So, to get down to the nitty gritty here. Do we change a B/W TV and AM/FM/Cassette (yes, cassette) player for newer electronics? Can these new electronics be easily adapted to later model DPs?

And what about cloth couches, chairs an Capt. chairs? And what about installing new flooring, as opposed to keeping carpeting, that has seen better days, although not terribly worn.

And last, but not least.....somebody else's Queen-sized mattress? I was hoping to get a Sleep Number bed for the Rockwood. But many of the later model RV have king size beds, so I wouldn't want to duplicate my efforts.

Anything anybody else can suggest is greatly appreciated.

Hoping to be trudging the happy road to destiny.....very soon.

Firebug5 · 04-24-2015, 09:39 AM

If we were in a moho and planning on trading it or selling it within a year, we would simply live in it the way it is. We removed the boat anchor TV in our moho, and actually enjoyed not having one during the last year. If you need a TV fix, try using a smart phone with a wifi hotspot to watch most shows on your laptop or tablet. The same goes for music.

Mattresses are another story, you have to be comfy sleeping. I would probably spend the most on maintenance, though, because it protects your investment and the receipts will be more valuable than any other upgrade when you sell or trade it. Ha! Listen to me, I just called a moho an investment. . .

Bruce

MSHappyCampers · 04-24-2015, 09:43 AM

I would do small, inexpensive things that would make the MH more appealing to a potential buyer, but nothing expensive because you would probably never get your investment back! JMHO!

kdzgon · 04-24-2015, 09:48 AM

You can always add a dense foam topper on the queen mattress for the short term, if you are not yet sure about resale time frame. It's a lot less expensive than a sleep number, especially if you might be moving up to a king size bed in the next coach.

POPPASMURF · 04-24-2015, 11:37 AM

It is all about the lipstick and mascara. If it can't be made pretty with a can of paint or dye- do only mechanical maintenance to keep you safe.

austx · 04-24-2015, 06:03 PM

We agree totally with all of the above. Spend as little as possible since you just won't your money back with owning it just a year. Good luck.

ChasA · 04-24-2015, 08:30 PM

I read your first paragraph and thought "why the hell did you even buy it?"

austx · 04-24-2015, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChasA

I read your first paragraph and thought "why the hell did you even buy it?"

After re-reading your first paragraph, I have to ask the same thing ... why did you even buy it? It is definitely not an investment.

noserider · 04-24-2015, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by austx

After re-reading your first paragraph, I have to ask the same thing ... why did you even buy it? It is definitely not an investment.

You guys beat me to it. Wash it. Polish it. Maybe bedding. Thats all. Well unless you have money to burn. Before you buy the next coach, consider what your 3rd step up will be after your second purchase and consider buying that one next.

Your screwing with us right? April fools was 23 days ago!

Ted Lambert · 04-24-2015, 09:35 PM

If you don't mind me asking what you paid for it. If it is above or below market value it would make difference to me. If you got it cheap at a walk away price it would make a difference.
Old coaches can be a gem or a nightmare. But there are a lot of people that enjoy them and treasure them. I had the same idea when we bought our 34 ft gassed for Twenty grand with 18000 miles. I thought a year or so than we would upgrade. Than I saw a lot of post by folks asking the prices of various engine work or replacements of major components.
Seems there are lots of folks that don't concider repairs.
I have had ours for 4 years now. If it breaks down I walk away and buy a ticket home,that is if it is serious and or costly.
Than I would buy something else. Not sure if I would ever buy new.

Peralko · 04-24-2015, 10:08 PM

Spend your money making it safe for traveling and ensuring systems on the coach are working properly. Such items as tires, brakes engine and transmission service should come before the fluff. As cheap as TVs are this days replacing a TV is not a big deal. As far as the mattress goes you have to be comfortable with the existing one--both when it comes to physical comfort and cleanliness. Just figure whatever money you spend on it will be sunk cost you will not get back when you trade or sell it.

wowlites · 04-24-2015, 10:29 PM

EddieM
Enjoy your new to you Rockwwod, toss in an inexpensive LED tv, buy a memory foam matress topper for now, uograde the sound system with a cheap am/fm cd player from an auto parts store and have a blast. With a few inexpensive upgrades your camping experience will be better and the unit will be more appealing for resale later.
Enjoy yourselves and welcome to iRV2
Cheers Rick T

EddieM · 04-25-2015, 03:26 AM

Thank you all for your replies.
Most of you were thinking much like I was already thinking, so I'm glad that I'm not insane. Or maybe we are all insane

. In either case, we are all here to enjoy life, at our ages.

I particularly liked the replies, that focused on maintenance and upkeep. The cheap TV, cheap car stereo and foam topper seemed extra appealing to our limited budget.

As for why we bought this 20 year old RV now, finances and credit dictated that we buy something that we could afford. We purchased this clean (yet older) MH with a rebuilt engine, which now has 28k miles on it, so that we could see if RVing is truly for us. The purchase price was $8, 500. The engine itself cost $7, 700, which was the bulk of the purchase price.

So, what was the most that we could possibly lose?

And then again, I couldn't help, but notice that there are thousands upon thousands used MHs (later models) out there. I'm guessing that not most of them are being sold, so that the owners can upgrade. And being this is our first MH experience, forget the purchase, I started thinking with my "big head"

And, when I factored in the cost of a late model ($70K), financing, MH insurance ($2.1K/per year), MH extended warranty ($1.5k/per year)alone, I thought....

Hmmmmm.....Maybe there was a more sane way of living the dream.

Remembering that my wife hasn't retired yet, therefore, month-long trips were out of the question, for this year, anyway. My intellectual side of my brain said "Duh...no brainer"

So, today we pick up our MH and begin our life as potential life-long RVers. We are excited about our "new baby", even though she is 30 feet long and weighs thousands of pounds. We have named her Rhoda.

Why Rhoda?

Because we will be on "the Rhoda gan...just can't wait to get on the Rhoda gan...making music with our friends...just can't wait to get on the Rhoda gan.

Hoping to see many of you, as we trudge the happy road to destiny

Eddie

PS: Neither my wife or I have ever driven a Class A motorhome. Today will be our first experience.

mikensallyt · 04-25-2015, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kdzgon

You can always add a dense foam topper on the queen mattress for the short term, if you are not yet sure about resale time frame. It's a lot less expensive than a sleep number, especially if you might be moving up to a king size bed in the next coach.

Are they really king size beds though? Mine in my Class A is a king size bed 72 X 76 that's not a king size bed though. Its being referred to as a "Short King". Maybe I'm just spoiled on my Cal King bed at home.